Bundling devices have been known for many years; for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,854 to Ruppenthal discloses a paper storage and baling container that includes a board member atop which once-folded newspapers and similar items are stacked. Baling strands of predetermined lengths are attached to the board member to bind a stack of newspapers thereto and thus form a bale or bundle. A holder in the form of a rectangular cylinder is also provided to serve as a guide when newspapers are being stacked onto the board member.
The Ruppenthal device for baling paper represents an improvement in the efficiency of previous devices in that it provides a substantially rigid board member upon which newspapers may be stacked and to which they may be bound and also provides a holder to facilitate stacking the newspapers. Its effectiveness, however, remains limited by the fact that each baling strand must be loosed from a holding position on the board member, threaded through a slot in an upper portion of the holder prior to newspapers being stacked on the board member, withdrawn from the slot prior to binding the newspapers, and individually tied to an opposingly disposed baling strand.
A number of other patents generally disclose bundling devices that support a stack of items or a package for binding with string or other suitable elongated ties. In addition to supporting the items to be bound, the bundling devices also support precut lengths or spools of string to bind the items. Examples of these devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No's. 4,681,032; 4,150,612; 3,145,646; 3,038,403; and 2,636,432.
While each of these bundling devices functions with a certain degree of efficiency, none have the advantages of the improved bundling device of the present invention as is hereinafter more fully described.